Just a dare?
by Zandii
Summary: Liam O'Donovan is the prank master of Elm Tree house. It doesn't matter if it's just to dump disgusting broccoli sauce in Tracy's shoes or steal all of Gina's left socks, he has done them all. At least until he gets a very unusual dare that could change everything. "I dare you to kiss Sapphire. On the lips." Elektra says with a content smirk. "You dare me to do WHAT?"
1. Chapter 1

Just a dare…?

**Liam O'Donovan is the prank master of Elm Tree house. It doesn't matter if it's just to dump disgusting broccoli sauce in Tracy's shoes or steal all of Gina's left socks, he has done them all. At least until he gets a very unusual dare that could change everything. "I dare you to kiss Sapphire. On the lips." Elektra says with a content smirk. "You dare me to do WHAT!?"**

* * *

Liam O'Donovan had a really nice day so far. He had gone burger diving with Frank right after school. After that they had played football in the garden with Tee, Johnny, Carmen and Toby. When it was time for dinner he was actually in such a good mood that he almost didn't even get bothered when he heard the terrible news, Tracy was on cooking duty tonight.

"Oh my god Tracy, this is actually eatable and not totally disgusting. This is a very big milestone in your life. Congratulations!" Liam commented right after he sceptically had tried dinner. This made the other kids laugh all around the table.

"Ha ha, very funny Liam," Tracy answered ironical. The dinners in Elm tree house were always the best part of the day, everyone sat down together and had a chat about what they had done during the day. It was as close to a family thing they ever came.

* * *

"Does anyone fancy a game of truth or dare?" Liam asked when he right after dinner entered the living room.

"Sure, I'm really bored," answered Carmen happily. "Someone else interested?" Everyone came to their feet, no one wanted to miss this, the dumping ground dares were always the best and you always found out some juicy new secret from when there was a very unusual truth.

"Everyone take a seat in the middle so we can sit down in a ring", Tee said and looked at the others with a big grin on. "Who wants to start?"

"Me," Elektra said quickly before she spun the bottle. "Liam, truth or dare?"

"Dare", he answered after a bit. Unsure what was worst, telling everyone something personal that they could use against him or risk being caught while doing something forbidden, the later easily won.

"Hmm…" Elektra thought for a bit. "I dare you to eat a worm." Liam looked like he had just swallowed a very sour lemon.

"No way," he said with a disgusted look on his face. "We agreed that The eating dares were abandoned, they are too gross. Remember? he continued with his most know-it-all voice.

"Fine," Elektra at last acknowledged. It took her a while to figure out a new prank that was as good and dreadful as the last one.

"I dare you to kiss Sapphire. On the lips." she said with a content smirk.

"You dare me to do WHAT?!" Liam exclaimed. "You have got to be joking with me, she's going to kill me."

"Are you backing out, Liam? Have we finally found something you dare not to do? I always knew deep down you were a coward," she continued to mock the stunned browned haired boy who stood completely still with his mouth wide open. It was such a comical vision that everyone in the room started laughing hysterical. Johnny began to run around the room making chicken voices while he at the same time flapped his elbows like wings. It didn't take long before the rest of the children stood up and mimicked him.

* * *

Liam stood completely frozen but his mind worked harder than ever. He had to find a way to get out of this. He didn't doubt for a moment that Sapphire really would kill him, and he enjoyed life to much to let such a tragedy happen. But he couldn't just refuse to do it, his honour was at stake. He was the only dumping ground resident who had always done all the dares, it didn't make any difference if it was just to dump disgusting broccoli sauce in Tracy's shoes or steal all of Gina's left socks. He had done them all and he, Liam O'Donovan, was famous for NEVER EVER backing out (beside from really gross eating dares, but they didn't count since they were abandoned). But kissing Sapphire was different. He could just as well start to write down how he wanted his memorial to be right now.

* * *

Sapphire Fox took a deep breath and tried to shut out the very high annoying laughter that came from the floor beneath her. Slowly she counted to three before she decided that the other dumping ground residents were not going to stop if she didn't do something about it. She dragged herself from the very comfy bedsit and angrily stormed forward the door.

"SHUT UP YOU WEIRDOS!" she shouted loudly down the staircase. Sapphire turned away to go back to her room to continue to read her magazine but was stopped before she had taken more than two steps.

"Jeff wonders why you are yelling at the staircase. Don't you like it?" Harry asked with a shy smile.

"Oh, hello Harry, I didn't see you coming," Sapphire answered. "Well no, I didn't scream at the staircase. I just kindly asked them down there to be a bit quieter, that's all. But I don't think they got the message so I'll have to go down there and ask them gently one more time," she continued to explain to the much younger boy and his giraffe. Harry made Jeff nod and then ran away.

Sapphire turned around one more time and irritated stomped down the hallway towards the very annoying noise.

* * *

The others hadn't stopped jumping around like chickens yet and Liam had started to panic. He had no plan and he knew that all the commotion would soon summon an most unwanted Sapphire.

"Shut up you lot!" he shrieked as high as he could. This only made them laugh even harder. He signed dramatically when he sat down on the couch with his head in his hands. What should he do? Come on Liam, think.

* * *

A very comical sight welcomed Sapphire when she stormed into the living room.

"What are you lot up to?" she said, trying to not show them her growing grin. Everyone, beside Liam, were acting like a bunch of chickens. This would probably make an ordinary girl a bit suspicions, but well, she was a care kid that lived in the Dumping ground. These kinds of things were completely normal to her.

Suddenly Liam stood up and quickly approached towards her. Before she had time to think, his lips met hers.

* * *

**Well this is the end of the first chapter, I really hope you enjoyed it. Don't forget to review! :-)**


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

**Disclaimer: I really would like to say that I own Tracy Beaker. That would have been sooooo cool, but well, I don't ;-)**

* * *

Everybody stood completely still, it was like the time itself had stopped and they were frozen in time. It felt like they were stuck like this for minutes, or maybe even hours according to Liam. Before anyone had time to get a grip over themselves, he parted from Sapphire and headed quickly for the door.

* * *

The rest of the day Liam spend walking around town doing nothing. But he didn't mind, that was a lot better than facing an angry Sapphire. When he started to get hungry he decided it was time to head back to the Dumping ground. On light foots he tried to sneak into his room through the back door, but he didn't get far. Something or _someone_ was blocking his way.

"We need to have a little chat you and I. Right now." Sapphire said, her face not showing any emotion. Liam gulped and carefully nodded. She went to the only place she knew that the other kids were not going to look for them, in the Toy Cupboard. When they arrived she suspiciously looked around for snooping people. When she saw that the coast was clear she signed for Liam to get in.

* * *

"Hey Johnny, have you heard the news? Liam is back." Elektra asked with a smirk. "Gus heard from Tee that Toby had heard from Harry that Lily had heard from Carmen who had accidentally heard (nicer word for eavesdropping) that Sapphire wanted to talk to him. Alone. Like that is true? She is probably strangling him right now."

"Why are we standing here then? I want to know, don't you?" Johnny replied mischievously. They both ran for the door and hurried up the staircase toward Sapphire's room. In the corridor they were abruptly stopped. On the floor sat all of the dumping ground residents with their ears pressed against the door.

"Well, what do we have here?" Elektra said with a smug smile. "You are learning from the master" Everybody hushed her and signed for her and Johnny to get down on the floor.

* * *

"Okay, spill! What's going on?" Sapphire asked with a firm voice, after they had squeezed in.

"What do you mean?" Liam innocently answered while he stared down at the floor. Sapphire signed heavily.

"Oh, I don't know... Earlier I was lying down in my bed, minding my own business, and then I heard a very annoying noise. When it didn't stop on its own, I decided to go down to see what was going on. I came in to the living room and everyone was acting like crazy chickens, and on top of that you, Liam O'Donovan, kissed me. Please enlighten me if I'm wrong, but this seems to be something going on, and I like to know what." Sapphire took a deep breath when she had let all her frustration out. Liam finally looked up and his eyes immediately locked with hers. He suddenly realised how close they were standing.

The floor and the walls were covered with broken toys that had been abandoned a long time ago. From the ceiling hung an old lamp that cast a dim light over the whole room. Because of the very little space that was left, they had to stand very close to be able to fit in. This made their faces come only inches apart, and Liam couldn't help but examining hers intently.

She had very dark brown eyes and high cheekbones that for the moment were very tense. His eyes got stuck on her lips, suddenly remembering the feeling of having them on his own. He mentally slapped himself, for goddess sake, he didn't have time to think about that now. He quickly looked up into her eyes again.

"It was just a dare." He simply said, trying to hide every feeling in his voice and mirrored her emotionless face.

"Excuse me? Are you saying that you did all this for a _dare_?" she said with a surprised look. "Why didn't you just say you wouldn't do it? Oh, don't answer that, I accidently forgot you are you." Liam looked pretty confused about this statement, unsure if it was a compliment or not.

"I would have given a lot to see their face, though. They didn't expect you to actually do it, did they?" she said with a growing smile. Surprised but relieved by the outcome of this conversation Liam started to laugh.

"No, they most certainly did not." He answered with a content smile. "I bet they are sitting outside your door right now, trying to hear what we're saying."

"Probably." Sapphire replied thoughtfully. "So what are we waiting for?"

* * *

"I can't hear anything." Carmen complained after a while. Everybody quickly hushed her and pressed their ears even closer to the door. Tee signed dramatically, she couldn't hear anything either. But the others were not going to give up that easily, they continued to listen like their life depended on it.

* * *

"Well, hello guys." Sapphire casually greeted all the kids when she and Liam arrived outside her door. Everybody draw a gasp, this was definitely not part of the plan.

"Uhm, hello Sapph." Johnny replied gingerly. "I know this looks kind of weird but… we are just… uhm… inspecting the floors, Gina said that they might have to buy new ones if these were too old." Everyone nodded enthusiastic. Sapphire rolled her eyes.

"Suuuuuuure. But I suggest you do that somewhere else, and do remember to work on your excuses. That was the most pathetic one I've heard in a long time, if it were Gina or Mike they would never have bought it. Now SCRAM!" Sapphire explained with a calm but firm voice. No one was slow to do as she suggested.

* * *

Later on the evening Liam was lying in his bed, not being able to sleep. All he could think about was the very eventful day. What had he given himself into? This was definitely not what he had planned. Annoyed by his thoughts he tried to shut them out by pressing his pillow on top of his head. He had a feeling that this only was the beginning.

* * *

**Don't forget to review, it makes me happy. And if I'm happy I'll update sooner.. ;-)**


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

The following days passed and a routine were forming. To Liam it basically meant that he avoided the living room and all of the public meals. He didn't feel like talking to anyone.

The kids had unconsciously formed three groups, number 1 (Elektra, Johnny, Lily, Tee and Carmen), they always made fun of him and laughed as soon as he entered the room. Number 2 (Toby, Harry, Gus and Frank), they always fell into silence whenever they spotted him, still not believing what he had done. But what bugged him the most was not the jokes or the thick silence. Strangely enough, it was number 3 (Sapphire). That acted like nothing had changed at all.

His feelings confused him a lot. He was used to do everything on his own and he didn't need foster parents, or anyone else for that matter. _Especially_ not some crazy chick with serious mood problems.

* * *

"HOUSEMEETING!" came a loud yelling from the kitchen. Liam put a pillow on top of his head and hoped that the noise would stop. Unfortunately it only grew in volume when everyone started to drag themselves from their rooms. With a sigh he stood up and joined the rest.

Liam took a chair as far away from Sapphire as he could without making it too obvious. When everybody were gathered around the kitchen table Mike cleared his throat dramatically.

"We have a little surprise for you guys." He confessed with a happy grin. "The holidays are approaching and we have decided to do something a little bit different this year. We have just gotten permission to take you lot on a vacation!" Everybody burst out cheering.

"It's only one catch." Mike announced. "The house that we will borrow is a bit smaller than Elm Tree House, so some of you are going to need to share rooms." A very thick silence followed this statement. " Johnny and Tee, is that okay?" They nodded enthusiastic, happy that they came together.

"Next up is Liam and Sapphire." Mike continued.

Liam's jaw dropped.

"Oh_, that_ is going to be interesting_._" Elektra said with an innocent voice. Johnny gave up a strangled noise that probably was a cover for laughter. Mike looked weirdly at them, not having a clue what they were on about. This made them burst out in giggle.

"I. Don't. _Share._" Sapphire said, making it sound like a dirty word. "Why can't he share with Frank or something?"

"Because Frank is going to be sharing with Toby." Tracy calmly explained.

"But it's not fair!" Sapphire complained with her voice raised.

"It's either that or we don't go at all." Gina announced with a firm voice that didn't leave a gap for further arguments. "Lily and Carmen will have to share as well. I hope that is okay for you girls?" They smiled and gave each other a high five.

"That's settled then." Mike said with a content smile. "We leave first thing tomorrow morning."

* * *

Later on the evening Liam was trying to sleep. It was long after curfew but he had a hard time getting settled. He had rolled around in his bed for what felt like hours, and were now on top of that thirsty. He threw his legs over the edge of the bed and continued towards the kitchen on bare feet.

* * *

Liam turned on the tap and put an empty glass under it.

"You do realise you can't avoid me forever?" a smooth voice said from behind. "Especially now when we are going to be sleeping in the same room." Liam quickly turned around to give a response.

"I haven't. Why would you think that?" Liam answered with a tense voice. Sapphire rolled her eyes.

"It doesn't take a genius to figure it out, even Beaker gets that something is up." Liam didn't have a good answer to that so instead he fell into silence.

* * *

Sapphire leaned casually on the counter while examining Liam's face. Trying to figure out what was going on without making him talk. Mostly Liam was like an open book according to Sapphire, his feelings were more often than not reflected in his face. Unfortunately he had made it completely blank for the moment and she didn't have a clue what he was thinking about.

She looked straight into his eyes. His pupils were unusually big, weren't they? But it was pretty dark in here after all.

* * *

Liam gazed right into the apple of her eyes. Trying to figure out what was going on in there. Why did she even care? What was she doing here anyway? Suddenly he started to feel very tired. He had too many questions and not enough answers. After a quiet goodnight he broke the eye contact and went back to his warm sheets.

* * *

Liam fell back on to his bed, suddenly feeling exhausted. He was still completely mortified about what was going to happen the next day, but a tiny bit of himself was actually excited (even if he had a hard time admitting it to himself).Who knew what was going to happen the next day at the same time? He finally relaxed and decided to enjoy his last night on his own for an indefinite time forward.

* * *

**Don't forget to review :-D**


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